How to add a website shortcut to a browser's New Tab window

Updated: 07/31/2022 by Computer Hope
Internet browsers

All modern Internet browsers allow you to create bookmarks for your favorite websites. Bookmarks are then accessed through a bookmark or settings menu, or on a bookmark toolbar often located below the browser's address bar.

However, browsers provide another option for quick access to your favorite websites. When adding a new tab in a browser, you can add and access website shortcuts, providing an alternative option to bookmarking a website.

To add a website shortcut to the New Tab window, select your browser in the list below and follow the instructions.

Google Chrome

Chrome logo

To add a website shortcut to Chrome's New Tab window, follow the steps below.

  1. Open the Chrome browser.
  2. If you have a homepage configured for Chrome, that homepage opens. Click the plus ( + ) icon to the right of the browser tab at the top of the window. If no homepage is configured, Chrome opens with a blank new tab.
  3. On the New Tab window, click the Add shortcut option below the Search Google or type a URL text field.

Add shortcut option on the New Tab window in Chrome.

  1. In the Add shortcut window, enter the name of the website in the Name field (A), and enter the website address in the URL field (B). Click Done (C) to add the shortcut.

Enter website name and URL (uniform resource locator) in Chrome's Add shortcut window.

Mozilla Firefox

Firefox logo

To add a website shortcut to Firefox's New Tab window, follow the steps below.

  1. Open the Mozilla Firefox browser.
  2. If you have a homepage configured for Firefox, that homepage opens. Click the plus ( + ) icon to the right of the browser tab at the top of the window. If no homepage is configured, Firefox opens with a blank new tab.
  3. On the New Tab window, below the Search with Google or enter address text field, move your cursor over one of the empty white squares.
  4. Click the pencil icon that appears near the upper-right corner of that white square.

Add shortcut option on the New Tab window in Firefox.

  1. In the New Shortcut window, enter the name of the website in the Name field (A), and enter the website address in the URL field (B). Click Done (C) to add the shortcut.

Enter website name and URL in Firefox's New Shortcut window.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge logo

To add a website shortcut to Edge's New Tab window, follow the steps below.

  1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
  2. If you have a homepage configured for Edge, that homepage opens. Click the plus ( + ) icon to the right of the browser tab at the top of the window. If no homepage is configured, Edge opens with a blank new tab.
  3. On the New Tab window, click the Add a site icon below the Search the web text field.

Add shortcut option on the New Tab window in Microsoft Edge.

  1. In the Add a website window, enter the name of the website in the Name field (A), and enter the website address in the URL field (B). Click Add (C) to add the shortcut.

Enter website name and URL in Microsoft Edge's Add a website window.

Safari

Safari logo

In Safari, when you add a bookmark to a website, that bookmark is added to the New Tab window automatically. There is no option for adding a website shortcut to the New Tab window without bookmarking the website.

Opera

Opera logo

To add a website shortcut to Opera's start page, also called the Speed Dial tab, follow the steps below.

  1. Open the Opera browser.
  2. On the start page that opens, click the Add a site option below the Search the web text field.

Add shortcut option on the start page in Opera.

  1. In the Add to Opera window, enter the website address in the text field (A), then click the Add to Opera button (B) to add the shortcut.

Enter website URL in Opera's Add to Opera window.

  1. The website address is set as the new shortcut's name. To set a different name for that website shortcut, move your cursor over the shortcut box on the start page. Click the ellipsis icon that appears in the upper-right corner of that shortcut box, and select Edit in the pop-up menu.

Edit shortcut option on the Opera start page.

  1. An edit shortcut window opens. In the Name field, enter a new name for the website shortcut, then click OK.

Edit website shortcut window in Opera.